While the world was going through the Tribulation, the raptured church was in heaven being presented to the Bridegroom. She has been miraculously protected by a Father who loves His children. He has hidden Israel’s remnant away in an undisclosed area. The Tribulation saints have either been martyred and are safe in heaven or they have weathered the hell on earth by His power and presence with them. Now the time has ticked off the kingdom calendar and the moment for Jesus’ physical return to earth is about to occur. The redemption of mankind is entering its final hour. This thought should be on our minds often. It has been said that studying Revelation and specifically the return of Christ is one of the least preached and taught messages in the Bible. In the rapture He comes for His saints and in the second coming He comes with His saints. As His followers it ought to be at the forefront of our minds. We patiently and eagerly look for His coming. I love the verse in 2 Timothy 4:8 where Paul describes Christians as those “who have loved His appearing.”
Vs 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war.
John sees the curtain of heaven pulled back. And his eyes are not drawn to the splendor of heaven but rather the Creator of heaven – he sees Jesus! The curtains are opened not to let John in but to let Jesus out so to speak. His revelation to earth. And Jesus is not portrayed here as the sacrificial lamb or humble servant but rather as a mighty warrior King! The horse is figurative. Kings in that day would enter a city on a donkey if they came in peace or a horse if they come in war and this King is coming in war. Furthermore, in that day kings would ride a white horse in a processional if their battle was a victory. His name is Faithful and True. He is faithful to every promise made in His Word and He is true to keep them. What a contrast to the Antichrist who is totally faithless and a complete lie but then he is inhabited by the father of lies, Satan. But the King in this scene is coming in justice and in that justice He makes war because He is holy and His holiness cannot tolerate sin. Exodus 15:3 “The Lord is a man of war: The Lord is His name.” Man has been given every opportunity to repent and he does not so there is judgment and war to come. The first time Jesus came He was judged by many, now He comes to judge and it will be a righteous judgment. There is no holding back the reins on this horse and there is no turning back.
Vs 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He himself.
John further describes the King: He has eyes like blazing fire. He can see into everyone. Nothing can be hidden from His sight. Hebrews 4:13 tells us all is open and laid bare. No one can hide. Eyes that are so tender and loving to His own, blaze through those who have refused Him. On His head he has many crowns. In his first coming He was crowned with a crown of thorns but this time He rightfully wears the kingly crowns of all thrones. These are diadems – kingly crowns that are rightfully His. He has many meaning He has claimed them all. He has a name that is known Himself. He may reveal it later but in scripture it remains unknown. It is a name that has never been profaned or trashed.
Vs 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God.
He is dressed in a robe, a King’s robe. The bottom of it seems to have been dipped in blood. It is not His blood from the cross but rather the blood of the slaughter of His enemies. When Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley on the night He left Jerusalem for the Garden of Olives, He would have had to hold his robe up to keep it from getting water stained with blood from the sacrificial lambs that flowed into the brook. But this blood is from His trampling His enemies. Isaiah 63:1-6 refers to His war clothes:
“Who is this who comes from Edom,
With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,
This One who is majestic in apparel,
Marching in the greatness of His strength?
“It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
Why is Your apparel red,
And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?
“I have trodden the wine trough alone,
And from the peoples there was no man with Me.
I also trod them in My anger
And trampled them in My wrath;
And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments.
And I stained all My raiment.
For the day of vengeance was in My heart,
And My year of redemption has come.
I looked, and there was no one to help.
And I was astonished there was no one to uphold;
So My own arm brought salvation to Me.
And My wrath upheld Me.
I trod down the peoples in My anger,
And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.”
His name here is the Word of God. The Word spoken in Genesis at creation, the Word made flesh in the gospel of John, and here the totality of His spoken word – Genesis to Revelation – The Word of God. Hebrews 1:3 says it plainly “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” Jesus is the full expression of the mind, will and purpose of God.
Vs 14 The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Who are the armies of heaven? It is the Old Testament believers, the raptured church, the Tribulation saints who have been killed, and all the holy angels. Again ‘riding on white horses’ is figurative as we are seen as His army. We will come with Him but we will not fight. He does the fighting. We come as witnesses and to reign with Him. We are dressed in fine linen which is a very fine woven material. It was used to dress the Old Testament priests. It is white and the word for white is a word that means brilliant, shiny, dazzling. There’s you some bling! White also represents holiness. And it is clean which represents purity.
Vs 15 Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
The sword is His Word. The bible is often called the sword. Hebrews 3:12 tells us that the sword is the Word of God. With His Word He strikes down the nations. Men may trample His word for now but in the end it will cut them to ribbons. He tramples the grapes of the wrath of God. The whole world is under His feet. Hebrews 1:13 states “I will make your enemies your footstool.” He will preserve His elect from the Gentile nations and Israel but all others will be slaughtered. The dead will include those who are gathered at Armageddon. The rest of the world’s unredeemed people will be judged at the sheep and goat judgment (Matt 25:31-46) that follow’s Christ’s return. Psalm 2 also reinforces this scripture as it describes the Messiah will rule with an iron scepter.
Vs 16 On his robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
His name: King of Kings – there is no other; Lord of Lords – there is no other. He has no equal, nothing to compare Him to. He is Jesus and he is King and Lord and He is our bridegroom! He loves you, He loves me and girls He is coming back for us! The sash goes across His chest and down His upper leg.
Vs 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come gather together for the great supper of God,
The angel is in front of the sun – the center of attention. The sun is now visible again from the bowl judgment. This angel is calling the birds together for the supper of God. Every year millions of birds of all kinds and species migrate to the south from Europe and Asia. They fly over the land of Israel between the Mediterranean Sea and the desert to the east. This forms a natural corridor for these migrating birds. The government of Israel has been studying these birds for some time. But God knew long before man ever became interested in it. So the angel calls the birds together and it will be like a Hitchcock thriller.
Vs 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.”
Money will do no good on the Day of the Lord. People you know will be of no help on the Day of the Lord. Where you lived or went to school will be of no good on the Day of the Lord. Read Zephaniah 1:14-18. The unredeemed are about to become bird food. Ezekiel 39:12 says it will take 7 months to bury the dead after the birds have gorged themselves.
Vs 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.
The Antichrist and the 10 kings of his federation along with the armies of the world gather to make war against Christ. All the world has to offer in the way of artillery, technology, and manpower gather for a war to end all wars. And it will the only problem is that before they can even pull the trigger they will be toast!
Vs 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur.
This the first mention of the lake of fire. That is the final hell. Hades is where all unbelievers go prior to the White Throne Judgment. It is only right that the antichrist and the false prophet who are two of the world’s most vilest people and who have led the world astray, should be the first to be cast into it. The lake of fire has no water and it is a continuous sinking and drowning in burning sulphur. Those two will plunge further than any other.
Vs 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
The rest of man was killed by the Word of God. His Words brings life to those who believe and it brings death to those who refuse.
These are thrilling passages. We have seen a description of our glorious warrior King! We have watched as foolish man joins forces to battle Him. And we have seen with our mouths dropped open the slaying by His Word to unbelieving mankind. Their end is only fitting and to be any less would be against the righteousness and holiness of our great and glorious God and Father.
